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Who's More Libertarian?  
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It's a no-brainer, right? President Bush may have been a lot of things, but he's certainly a better friend of liberty than his successor, correct? Not so fast!
From the comparison below, the current President, said by some (including most libertarians) to be the most socialist President since FDR-- or worse-- appears to be a better friend of liberty than his Republican predecessor.
Neither is a friend of economic liberty. Big government solutions, bail-outs, huge deficits, nationalizing banks, picking winners and losers in the marketplace... both our past and current Chief Executives have failing grades in this subject. This is the half empty aspect of the glass. And the point is...
For those with libertarian views, leanings, sensitivities and
sensibilities, we ignore the half-full aspect of the glass regarding
this very popular President at our peril. We would do well to
congratulate and affirm him for his actions on behalf of liberty and
lead with that, before criticizing his economic policies and
big-government leanings.
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Pro Liberty
First week executive orders, statements:
- Close Guantanamo in one year
- Waterboarding is torture; torture is banned.
- Halt military commissions/tribunals until reviewed for Constitutionality and protection of defendants' rights.
- Suspended gag order on counseling and treatment involving freedom of choice
- Takes steps to allow science to achieve its full potential for medical and market applications (re use of embryonic stem-cells)
- Expresses commitment to protecting citizens rights and liberty despite safety and security concerns
- Reaching out with mutual respect to other nations in the interest of peace, ending or curtailing US abuses of power internationally (with exception of pledge to step up the war in Afghanistan).
- Balanced and non-sectarian approach to the role of faith/church and state, including a litany of faith-groups and "non-believers" in inaugural.
- The promise of tax cuts and holding the line on Bush tax cuts at least initially.
- Ends DEA policy of raids on medical marijuana use.
Presidential Actions, Policies:
- Less regulation, bias toward deregulation
- Educational Choice
- Gun rights
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Anti-Liberty
Presidential Actions, Policies:
- Guantanamo used in attempt to skirt the US rule of law.
- Allowed or ordered torture, extraordinary rendition, abuses of habeas corpus even for US Citizens where terror is the issue.
- opposed freedom of choice, implemented policies & orders to limit choice wherever possible
- blocked use of science in the use of embryonic stem cells, limiting freedom and restricting market forces in research and marketing
- Favored warrantless wiretaps and other abuses of the Constitution and civil liberties in the name of "Homeland Security."
- "Socialist" interventions in the economy with "Bail Out" strategy
- Increased the size and cost of government more than any President since FDR.
- Interference in educational policy with No Child Left Behind
- Favored sectarian viewpoints and practices within government and in public statements and behaviors by himself and government representatives
- International interventionism, including military intervention, the Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive war.
First week executive orders, statements:
- Big government solutions
- More regulation of markets
- More government intervention in education and healthcare and the economy in general
- Seems to prefer some form of gun control.
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